By Neo Kolane
There is urgent need to strengthen the policy and legislative environment on Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR), climate change, and emergency situations, the Southern African Development Community Parliamentary Forum (SADC PF) has said.
SADC PF vice chairperson of the standing committee on human and social development and special programmes, Kassim Hassan Haji from Tanzania told a recent virtual public hearing session that it was also crucial to hold capacity building sessions for MPs on the intersection between SRHR, climate change and comprehensive emergency response.
Haji further called for a review of policies on disaster risk reduction to incorporate emerging issues of SRHR in emergencies.
“SADC MPs must encourage their national governments to reform and strengthen their health systems to be able to effectively respond to emergencies.
“This may be done through mainstreaming minimum initial service package into national health and disaster response plans,” he added.
